By: Leah Howard

​A report by the Centers for Disease Control states that more people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any other year and, since 1999, rates of death from drug overdose have nearly quadrupled. Not only has there been an increase in opioid deaths, but the rate in deaths from drugs such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Methadone have also increased fourfold since 1999. Increases have been seen in heroin use from 2002-2013 in those aged 18-25, and is now the leading cause of death among this group. Additionally, the age at which many begin using has increased. Interestingly, there has not been an increase in the amount of pain reported by Americans. Easy access and cheap pricing, along with the increase in the quality of heroin, are all possible reasons for this new trend.

One of the most important reasons for this trend could be the lax prescription drug policies by medical professionals. Medical professionals commonly prescribe opioids for routine and common pain. Many clinicians argue that these medications are extremely beneficial and could be used to treat pain without risk of addiction. Claims such as these made by pharmaceutical companies and doctors across the nation have been since proven false. However, opioid painkillers such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin have become the most prescribed drugs in the country, producing about $2 billion a year in sales.

The stance on opioid prescription is changing. According to CDC director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, it is obvious now more than ever that the risk of opioid usage outweighs the benefits and that prescription opioids are just as addictive as heroin. In response, the federal government has intervened by putting in place guidelines that make it harder to obtain access to these drugs. Now, doctors must first try to treat patients with ibuprofen and aspirin. In addition, opioid treatment can only last for one to three days, in contrast with past practices in which patients were given weeks and months worth of prescription opioid medication. This change has led to a subsequent rise in illicit heroin use. Since the crackdown on drugs, it is now easier and cheaper to purchase heroin.

This problem is ever growing and most apparent in states such as New Hampshire. Recently, the state gained national attention even though this problem has been growing for the past five years. The drastic change is obvious. In 2010 in the small town of Manchester, police seized about 200 grams of heroin. In 2015, it was 27,000 grams, enough to supply about 891,000 individuals. This year alone, the city has had over 75 overdose deaths. So what is the solution? Recently, doctors have begun administering the drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan, which is a quick, effective method to stop a drug overdose. There is now a push for states to require first responders to carry this life saving drug and it has been distributed to 15 states, as of 2010.

​Naloxone works by reversing the effects of heroin. Heroin is effective because it locks on to the receptors in the brain, but in high enough doses slows the body and alters breathing. Naloxone can free the receptors, establishing normal breathing and restoring consciousness. The drug was approved in 1971 and has been used ever since.

On Tuesday March 29th, President Obama came to Atlanta in order to attend the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit on the current drug abuse epidemic. The President highlighted the rise in deaths by reminding the panel that now, more people are being killed from opioid overdoses than traffic accidents. He also debuted a new rule in which doctors would be able to prescribe Buprenorphine, a medication used to treat drug addition, to those addicted to drugs, which would increase the number of patients a doctor is able to see. In addition, President Obama also highlighted his new $94 million federally funded plan to expand medical treatment at over 270 community health centers nationwide, and $11 million funding that allows states to buy Naloxone.

Retrieved From: http://nationalrxdrugabusesummit.org/

​Georgia is one of the 14 states that have been greatly affected by drug overdose. According to the CDC, in 2014 over 1,200 people died from drug overdose in Georgia, an increase of 9.8% since the year before. Rates of drug abuse and overdose are happening less than 25 miles away. “Heroin usage is quickly growing in North Fulton. Life preservation is the most important piece of the entire heroin story in Milton. In 2015, we charged two individuals for failing to seek medical attention for overdose victims,” said Milton Police Chief Steven Krokoff. “Thanks to the passing of House Bill 965, Georgia’s ‘9-1-1 Medical Amnesty Law’ or the ‘Good Samaritan Law,’ in 2014, individuals are given immunity from arrest, charge and prosecution for possession of certain drugs and drug paraphernalia when they seek medical care in good faith for a person experiencing an overdose.”

There are some major local and national efforts being made to control the ever growing drug problem. However, other countries are taking prevention a step further. Canada and Europe have designated injection facilities in which people can inject drugs under medical supervision. Facilities like these are illegal in the United States, but it may be time we reconsider.